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Power Amp Boosts Output In 5-GHz 802.11a Products

Louis E. Frenzel | Sep 19, 2004

A new power amplifier for the 5-GHz band, which is used by the 802.11a wireless local-area network standard, is designed for access points, laptops, PCMCIA cards, and other devices using the 11a standard.

Developed by SiGe Semiconductor, the RangeCharger SE2534A three-stage linear power amplifier incorporates a power detector, analog biasing, and interstage matching circuits. It can produce up to 17.5-dBm output power with an error vector magnitude (EVM) of less than 3%. Such an EVM figure improves packet error rates, providing maximum data throughput simultaneously with maximum transmission range.

The chip's power detector adjusts the operating point to accommodate the peak-to-average power ratio, a key benefit in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing systems. This feature also reduces overall power consumption. Typical current drain at 17.5 dBm is 160 mA.

The SE2534A comes in a 10-pin 5- by 5-mm LGA package. Available now, it costs $1.93 in 100,000-unit quantities.